Cynophobia
by Deja Know I Been Lookin For Vu
Summary: The past tries to rear its ugly head when Ash has an unfortunate encounter with a human hating Houndour.
1. Attack

**********Title:** Cynophobia  
**Author:** Deja Vu  
**Summary:****The past tries to rear its ugly head when Ash has an unfortunate encounter with a human hating Houndour.**  
**Rating:** No language, some violence.  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon, but this story is mine.  
**Author's Note:****This was inspired by Llyxius' "Respect" (a story I recommend tenfold over my story), so this has a lot of similar qualities at the beginning. I planned to make the Pokémon be a Growlithe or such to lose some of the similarities, but Growlithe look too cheerful for my plans.**

* * *

Ash Ketchum woke up to the sound of Pidgey chirping cheerfully at his window. After a few seconds, he rolled over and went back to sleep. 

He wasn't able to enjoy his rest for very long, however. Pikachu, sensing that his trainer was nearer to a semi-conscious state than he had been previously, chose to give Ash a shocking awakening.

His cheeks started to spark. "Pi...ka..._chu!_"

"_Waahh!_" Ash shouted as the electricity shot through his body. "I'm awake, Pikachu," the badly-charred boy managed to groan.

"Pi," the little electric mouse nodded, then he scampered off Ash's bed and headed towards the kitchen.

The smell of bacon and eggs wafting through his open bedroom door got Ash out of bed a lot quicker than Pikachu's shock alone would have done. Practically floating through the air, the dark-haired trainer made his drooling way toward the dining table, where his mother and his friends were already eating.

Pikachu, apparently assuming that Ash wouldn't be joining them, had taken Ash's chair and was promptly putting generous helpings of ketchup upon his food. "Piii," the Pokémon said, his eyes glistening as they rested upon the sweet mounds of red tomatoey goodness.

"Hey! Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed.

The yellow mouse stuck his tongue out at his trainer, then went back to gazing lovingly at his ketchup extravaganza.

"Errr," Ash growled under his breath, reluctantly sitting at another chair. "Thanks for waiting on me, guys."

"If you'd gotten to sleep as long as you wanted, I could've eaten ten meals and _still_ have been waiting for you to get up," Misty said as she stabbed her eggs with a fork.

"Food waits for no man," Brock agreed, holding up a piece of crispy bacon. "Especially not Mrs. Ketchum's food."

Delia smiled. "Thank you, Brock."

"No problem, Mrs. Ketchum." Brock was practically beaming.

Ash turned back to his food, looking somewhat disgusted. However, the sight of the plate in front of him soon took away any sourness he was feeling, and he began to dig messily into his meal.

* * *

After the dishes were cleaned, Ash stated his plans for the day: "I'm gonna go to Professor Oak's and visit my Pokémon before we leave Pallet Town." 

"I was planning to sunbathe at the beach," Misty said happily.

Brock had an idea of his own as well. "I plan to try out a new Pokéchow recipe."

Ash looked down at his little electric Pokémon, who tilted his head and thought for a moment. "Pi, pika chu-pi."

"You're going to the beach with Misty?" Ash asked, sounding a little incredulous.

Pikachu nodded. "Ka."

"All right." Ash seemed somewhat disappointed that Pikachu wanted to go with Misty instead of him. After he'd lost at the Pokémon League, didn't he deserve for his Pokémon to hang around with him and try to cheer him up? "Guess I'll see you guys later, then," Ash said, somewhat sadly.

"Bye, Ash." Brock and Misty said simultaneously.

"Bye," Ash returned. He still felt upset that no one was coming with him, but that was fine. At least his Pokémon at Professor Oak's would be happy to see him.

* * *

"Hello, Ash," Professor Oak greeted, smiling. "You're here to visit your Pokémon, I presume." 

"Yeah."

"Well, be careful. I just got in a new Pokémon that was badly abused by her trainer. She's fenced in, but she does not take kindly to strangers, and if riled, she might be able to escape and attack."

"What kind of Pokémon is she?" Ash asked.

"A Houndour," the Pokémon Professor answered. "You have probably never heard of one before, for they are somewhat rare, but I still want you to keep your distance from her, Ash Ketchum. She is a very high level Fire-and Dark-Type, Ash, even though you might not think so since she never evolved." The old man's voice became stern as he saw the glint in Ash's eyes. "Do not get very close to her. Look on her from afar, if you must look at her at all."

"Yes, Professor," the young trainer reluctantly agreed.

* * *

Ash had gone first to the large body of water where the Water Pokémon resided to see his Kingler. He stayed there for quite some time. Finally, smiling, he stood up and listened to Kingler's squooshy voice tell him goodbye and good luck. "Seeya later, Kingler," Ash said. The crab waved goodbye with a big pincer. 

He began walking to go look for Bulbasaur, but he suddenly paused. He could see a long, high, ominous-looking fence. "I wonder what Pokémon's in there," Ash said aloud. Then it hit him. It was probably the Houndour's cage.

He strained his eyes, but he couldn't see anything. He hesitated, then decided that it couldn't hurt to take a closer look.

But as he drew nearer and nearer, he still couldn't see anything. It must be hiding.

An uneasy feeling came across him. He'd better just leave and go find Bulbasaur.

He turned around—

And barely even knew what hit him.


	2. Try to Help Another Up

**Author's Note:** Translations of Pokémon speech appear in **bold** (while thoughts appear in _italics_). Many apologies, as I could not figure out a better method that FFN would allow.

* * *

Bulbasaur trotted happily across the grass. Life was good. 

The sun was shining, the grass was a brilliant green...

He paused, hearing a strange noise.

It sounded like Houndour was in a frenzy once again. Bulbasaur shook his head and started to continue on, but then he hesitated. He had a different feeling about this time.

There was a strange note barely detectable amidst Houndour's snarlings.

A bad feeling washing over him, he began to hurriedly run towards Houndour's cage.

* * *

_Humans._

Humans were nothing more than monsters who wanted to make the lives of Pokémon something to regret. _For that, they must die._

Teeth dripping with saliva. Sharp claws digging hurriedly at the ground.

_Must get out._

_Must destroy humans._

_Monsters._

They were monsters. Hurting Pokémon for no reason.

Fur bristling. Curls of flame coming out from flared nostrils.

_Must get out._

_Must kill humans._

_They must die._

_All of them._

* * *

"_Saur!_" Bulbasaur cried out as he saw what was happening. 

Houndour was ruthlessly unleashing punishment upon a human that had been unfortunate enough to come near her cage. She was snarling, biting, and clawing desperately at the human, who couldn't even struggle to defend him- or herself.

Bulbasaur ran forward—maybe he could save the human in time—and cried out when he saw who it was.

_Ash._

It was _Ash!_

* * *

Blind rage. 

_Must kill the human!_

_Punish! Must be punished..._

_Death to all humans!_

_Bite. Quickly. Must kill..._

* * *

Without a second thought, Bulbasaur leapt forward and struck out at the Fire-Type with his vines. 

It took a moment before the Houndour realized what was happening, but at last she looked up with fiery eyes, her teeth dripping with blood.

**Get away,** she warned.

**That's my trainer,** Bulbasaur said, **and I will not let you kill him.**

**Try to stop me, and _you_ shall be killed.** The fire leaped up in her eyes.

**I will fight to the death for him.**

**Then that is what you will find, for all humans deserve death, as do those who defend them!** returned Houndour as she took a running leap at Bulbasaur.

Bulbasaur sprang away at the last instant, but he still got slightly nicked. It wasn't enough to slow him down, however.

He brought his vines back up and slashed at Houndour with Vine Whip.

Houndour laughed mockingly. **Foolish Grass-Type. You are no match for the flames of Houndour!** She let loose a mighty Flamethrower.

Bulbasaur tried to dodge but nonetheless got singed by the flames.

Houndour's eyes glowed as she Leered at Bulbasaur, causing him to freeze for a moment.

He shook himself out of it, however, and leaped away from the Ember she sent towards him just in time.

Getting frustrated, he began shaking the bulb on his back. Then he sent out Poison Powder at Houndour.

Yawning, Houndour let loose a tide of flames which eradicated the powder coming towards her.

Even more frustrated, Bulbasaur Tackled Houndour, knocking the air out of her.

Quickly, the Grass-Type used Leech Seed, sapping away some of the Fire-Type's health.

The Houndour Roared, seeing red, then she let loose Smog, which was ineffective since Bulbasaur was a Grass- and Poison-Type.

Bulbasaur sent forth Razor Leaves which sliced at the doglike Pokémon.

Houndour laughed. **Stupid Grass-Type. Have you learned nothing?** She tried to use Crunch, which Bulbasaur dodged, then she used Faint Attack, which Bulbasaur had no hope of dodging.

Somewhat shaken up by Faint Attack, Bulbasaur tried to use Growl, but this time he was unable to dodge Houndour's Flamethrower.

Gasping, Bulbasaur lay upon the ground, looking sadly at his trainer then gazing up at Houndour, who panted down at him. **I will deal with you in a minute,** snarled the canine, turning towards the unconscious Ash.

**No,** Bulbasaur strained, looking upwards at the sky. The sun shined brilliantly down upon him, as if oblivious of the suffering happening below it.

Closing his eyes, Bulbasaur concentrated and used Synthesis, restoring his health.

Houndour looked down at Ash. **Now, you are all mine—**

**_Never!_** shouted Bulbasaur, letting loose a powerful Solar Beam which somehow managed to stun the unsuspecting Fire-Type.

Swiftly, Bulbasaur used Sleep Powder, sending the Fire-Type into sleep.

He turned to his trainer, who was bleeding from multiple wounds and seemed to be on his last legs. "Bulba," whimpered the Grass Pokémon. "_Bulbasaur!_" he shouted, crying out to Ash's Tauros.

Soon, the entire herd came stampeding towards him. They stopped right beside the pair and looked down at their trainer sadly. "Ros?" one Tauros ventured.

**Hurry! Get him up on your back! He'll die soon if we don't get him to some humans.**

Nodding, the Tauros managed to get Ash up on his back. **Too bad there aren't any Miltank or Chansey here.**

**Wait!** one of the Tauros exclaimed. **I think Professor Oak might have just gotten a Chansey the other day.**

**I'll rush to Professor Oak's house! You start slowly carrying him that way.** Bulbasaur scampered off.

* * *

Professor Oak tasted his rice. "Hmm, I think it might need to cook a little longer," he decided. 

Suddenly, he heard pounding on his back door. "Now who could that be?" The Pokémon Professor went over and opened the door, only to be nearly run over by a frantic Bulbasaur.

"_Bulba!_ Saur, bulba bulba, saur!"

"Slow down, I can't understand you."

But Bulbasaur was to frantic to slow down. Finally, in frustration, he yelled out, **_Chansey!_**

The pink Pokémon appeared. "Chan?"

"Saur, bulba bulba bulb. Saur!"

"Sey!" exclaimed the Normal-Type. She looked at Professor Oak and gestured towards the door. "Sey, chansey!"

Professor Oak willingly obliged, opening it. Chansey gestured at him to follow. "Sey-chan!"

Chansey tried to run as fast as her squat body would let her, and Bulbasaur stayed in the lead, trying to get her and Professor Oak to hurry. At last, they came upon a herd of worried Tauros.

"Bulb!" Bulbasaur said, pointing with one of his vines at his unconscious trainer atop one of the Tauros. Ash's face was pale and sickly, not to mention covered in blood. Houndour had mostly avoided tearing into his face, but she had dripped some blood onto his face, as well as clawed at it a little. Though Ash was unconscious, he was shivering, and beads of sweat rolled down his face.

"Chan," Chansey nodded, bobbling over to the boy and taking out the egg in her pocket. She used Softboiled, and a little bit of color came back into Ash's face, although he still looked like he was merely inches away from death.

"Goodness gracious," Professor Oak said, getting out his phone and calling the hospital.

"Bulba," the Grass-Type whimpered, nudging his now-grounded trainer.

Done with the phone, Professor Oak sighed. "He didn't get near the Houndour cage, did he?"

Bulbasaur couldn't help but nod his head sadly.

The Pokémon Professor looked down at the badly wounded boy. "I don't know if you'll manage to survive this one, Ash," he muttered quietly, feeling an intense wave of sadness wash over him.


	3. Lingering Pain

It was a grim bunch that waited in the waiting room for news of Ash.

Delia Ketchum sat sobbing silently into a kerchief beside Professor Oak, who had his arm around her and was trying to comfort her. Brock and Misty sat beside each other quietly, staring down at the floor. Bulbasaur was just as sad as everyone else, but he was trying to comfort Pikachu, who seemed to be the worst off.

"Pi chu, pika pika-pi," wailed the yellow mouse. "Piiiiii..."

**It's not your fault, Pikachu,** Bulbasaur said soothingly.

**Yes, it is!** the Electric-Type insisted with a sniffle. **Pika-pi would be okay if I had gone with him. I shouldn't have left him! I should have gone with my Pika-pi. Pika-pi needs me to protect him. I was out sunbathing while my Pika-pi was being killed!** Pikachu began crying even harder, whimpering all the while.

**You can't always be there to protect him, Pikachu,** Bulbasaur told him. **It's not your fault that Houndour got out and attacked him. And he is not dead yet.** This last word Bulbasaur regretted saying, for Pikachu began weeping louder. **He'll be okay, Pikachu. He's always been okay before.**

**I was always with him before,** the Electric Pokémon cried mournfully. **Why can't I be with him right now?**

**They're working on him right now. As soon as anyone can go in there, I'm sure you'll be able to go with them.**

Pikachu just wailed even more.

After a few minutes, someone came into the waiting room and looked at them. Everyone jumped up. "Any news?" Brock asked quickly.

"He's lost a lot of blood, and some of the poison from Houndour's Smog attack has managed to make its way into his system. Right now, it's too early to tell what the outcome will be."

Pikachu and Mrs. Ketchum began sobbing even louder.

* * *

For days, Ash was shivering and sweating, his body fighting against the toxins in his body with the aid of medicine. The doctors had mostly managed to stop his bleeding, but every now and then it would start anew, for his body was unable to do much healing while it was trying to fight off the poison in his system. Once in a while, Ash would regain brief consciousness, but he was in a delirium in those moments. Most of the time, the doctors appeared to him to be monsters, and he flinched away from them. He cried out for his Pokémon (mostly for Pikachu), his friends, and his mother, he cursed his rival Gary and someone he called the Fire-Giver, and he whimpered for the monsters surrounding him not to hurt him. He had a few rare lucid moments, where he knew that he was in a hospital room, knew that the people around him were doctors, and knew that he was bleeding and in severe pain, but sometimes all he could see was darkness, and he would scream at the darkness to go away. After such screaming fits he would fall back into unconsciousness with the help of sedatives given to him by his doctors, who did not want him to tear at his wounds. 

Once, he woke up and thought he saw a strange catlike Pokémon in front of him. It was small and white and had big blue eyes. It floated in the air and stared at him with those two cerulean orbs. Startled and somewhat scared, Ash glanced around at his surroundings, expecting to see the sterile hospital room and the doctors; instead, all he saw was bright white light around him. Was this heaven?

"Who are you?" he asked. Vaguely, in the back of his mind, he noted that he didn't feel like he was in as much pain as he had been previously.

"Mew," the feline mewled at him. It seemed to radiate peace, but Ash couldn't help but feel a little scared still.

"Is this heaven?" he spoke aloud the question that had been bothering him. "Am I dead?"

Ash thought he heard a voice in his head which ignored the questions he had just asked. _Do not be angry at the _Pokémon _who did this to you. She has been living in a harsh world, and the last thing she needs is more hatred. This you know. What happened is not her fault. Please do not blame her._

Ash suddenly felt really drowsy, and his eyelids began to droop. When he glanced up, right before he slipped into unconsciousness, the cat was gone.

* * *

Brock and Misty were fast asleep against the wall, and Mrs. Ketchum was dozing against Professor Oak's shoulder. Pikachu had cried himself to sleep long ago, but Professor Oak and Bulbasaur were still awake and talking quietly, as they often had lately. With the exception of Professor Oak (who was a very busy man), they all rarely left the hospital. When they did, it was to eat and catch a few hours of sleep, but they would always come back as soon as they could. They couldn't stand not being near Ash. 

A nurse came into the waiting room, and Professor Oak gently shook Delia awake. Bulbasaur tapped on Brock and Misty, who opened their bleary red eyes. Pikachu, who even in sleep had been listening attentively for new noises, awoke and looked about him with eyes that were blood-shot from little sleep and excessive tears.

"Mrs. Ketchum," the nurse said, "your son has made a miraculous improvement during the night." At this statement, expressions of joy and relief sprang onto the faces of the waiting room occupants. "Right now, he is sitting up and eating. You can go in and see him, but only one at a time."

"Pika!" the little electric mouse jumped up as Delia Ketchum stood.

She looked down at Pikachu, knowing that he would be heartbroken if he didn't get to go in. "Could you make one exception?" Delia pleaded.

Knowing exactly what she was talking about, the nurse looked down at the Electric-Type. His eyes stared pleadingly up at her, and his tail twitched hopefully. "Pi?"

"Oh, all right. I really shouldn't be letting Pokémon in to see him, but I guess I can make an exception this time," the nurse sighed.

"Bulb?" Bulbasaur said, not wanting to be left out.

"You can come in with the next person," she told him.

"Bulb," the Grass-Type nodded, satisfied.

Pikachu followed Mrs. Ketchum and the nurse to Ash's room, the latter of which left after escorting them to the door. However, once in the room, Pikachu hesitated, his ears and tail drooping down ashamedly. Ash was eating his jello more slowly than he normally ate food, but, despite his physical weakness, his eyes held their familiar fire. They were, however, avoiding the eyes of his mother.

"Hi, Mom," Ash greeted.

"Hello, Ash," Delia said, sitting lightly on the side of the bed and smiling at her son. "How are you feeling?"

"All right, I guess."

Mrs. Ketchum couldn't help but put a motherly hand upon her son's forehead. "You don't seem to have much of a fever anymore."

"Yeah. I feel a lot better." Still he couldn't stand to look his mother in the face.

"Ash," she said, at last bringing his reluctant gaze toward her. "I know you know that you shouldn't have gotten so near that Pokémon's cage, but it wasn't your fault that it dug a hole under the fence and was waiting for a victim. I think in this instance, you were just at the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm just so glad you're alive." She gingerly hugged him.

"Me too, Mom."

Delia pulled back, leaving something on the tip of her tongue unsaid as she looked towards the door, where Pikachu was ashamedly hiding. "There's someone who wants to see you, Ash."

At last, Pikachu came out from behind the door, looking very remorseful. He didn't meet Ash's eyes.

"Pikachu, come here," Ash said, quietly. He could sense that something was wrong.

Slowly, Pikachu came forward and hopped onto the bed. Ash brought him closer to him. "What's the matter, Pikachu?"

Pikachu hesitated.

"Tell me, Pikachu."

Pikachu finally burst out into tears and started wailing, his head against the covers. **I failed you, Pika-pi! I should have been there to save you!**

"Pikachu, this isn't your fault,"

Pikachu nodded his head, **Yes, it is.**

"No, it isn't, Pikachu. This was just an accident. Okay? Look at me, Pikachu," Ash said sternly.

The electric mouse slowly brought his tear-stained eyes up to look at his trainer.

"I missed you, Pikachu," he said, grabbing his Pokémon and embracing him tightly.

Pikachu began crying even more, but these were tears of joy. **I missed you, too, Pika-pi.**

Delia dabbed at her eyes with her kerchief at the beautiful sight in front of her. _He really loves his Pokémon..._

After a moment, still clutching Pikachu to his chest, Ash looked up at his mother. "What happened?"

"Well, according to Professor Oak, Bulbasaur saw the Houndour attacking you, and began to fight it," Delia told him.

Ash dropped his gaze. "But the Houndour is a high-level Fire-Type..."

Pikachu nodded, distancing himself from Ash a little bit so he could look up at him. **But Bulbasaur would have done anything to save you...As I would have, if I had been there.** The Pokémon looked guilty and sad.

"It's okay, Pikachu," Ash tried to reassure his Pokémon again. "It wasn't your fault."

**Bulbasaur said he almost didn't win, but somehow he found the strength to, and he put Houndour to sleep.**

"I have such wonderful Pokémon and such a wonderful mom," Ash said, hugging Pikachu and smiling at his mother.

Delia stood up and hugged her son, then looked at Pikachu. "There are some other people who want to see you, and I'm afraid we're only supposed to come in one person and one Pokémon at a time, so we'll see you later, Ash."

**Bye, Pika-pi,** Pikachu said, at last managing a small smile to his trainer.

"G'bye," Ash said, watching them leave.

A few moments later, Bulbasaur and Misty came in.

"Bulba!" the Grass- and Poison-Type greeted as he jumped up lightly on Ash's bed.

"Bulbasaur!" Ash said, hugging his Pokémon as tightly as his wounds would let him. "Thanks for saving me," he told Bulbasaur quietly. "I can't believe you stood up to that strong Fire-Type to help me."

**If given a choice, I'd do it again,** Bulbasaur said.

Smiling, Ash looked up at his other friend. "Hey, Misty."

Misty shook her head. "I can't believe you almost got yourself killed _again_, Ash Ketchum! What am I going to do with you?"

He grinned sheepishly.

Suddenly, Misty went over and hugged both Ash and Bulbasaur, causing a slight blush to creep up on the former's face. "I'm so happy you didn't die!"

"Heh, yeah, I still owe you that bike, huh?"

Misty looked at him. Suddenly, she didn't feel like trading banter. "That's not it, Ash...If you had died, I—I don't know what I would have done..."

"I'm okay now, Misty," Ash said quietly.

She looked at his many bandages skeptically. "If _that_'s what you call being okay," she pointed to the bandages, "then I don't want to see what you're like when you're _not_ okay."

"Heh. It's just a few scratches."

"Well, then your scratches sure do bleed an awful lot," Misty said, referring to the fact that blood had soaked through his wrappings.

"Heh," Ash sweat-dropped.

Misty hesitated for a moment, then kissed Ash on the top of the head. "Get better," she said before disappearing out the door.

"Bulba," Bulbasaur agreed, jumping off the bed and following Misty.

Ash stared at the open door for a moment. What was that about?

Before he could puzzle for much longer, Brock came in. "Hey, Ash."

"Hi, Brock."

"How you doing?"

"Better."

"You had us all really worried," Brock said.

Ash looked shameful. "Yeah, I know."

"But you're all right. That's all that matters."

Ash smiled. "Right."

The pair of boys talked for a little while longer before Brock finally left. He was replaced by Professor Oak, whom Ash did not want to see.

Ash averted his eyes, looking down at his food.

"I'm glad to see you looking well."

No answer.

"It's okay, Ash. I know you weren't even _that_ close to the Houndour's fence. Bulbasaur told me."

Ash looked up. He hadn't expected to hear Professor Oak say that. The man's wise eyes were upon him, and Ash felt obligated to talk. The more he talked, the more he had to say. It seemed like everything just began bubbling out of him. "I just wanted to look at her...I wasn't going to go over the fence or anything...And then I couldn't see her anywhere, so I turned around to leave and go see Bulbasaur like I'd planned..."

Professor Oak watched him quietly. He sensed the boy's need to talk about it.

"And...suddenly she was on top of me, this big orange, black, and white beast, just snarling, and biting, biting, biting, as hard as she could." Ash let loose a cry, and clutched at his bandaged stomach as he relived the fiery pain. He clenched his eyes shut as he shivered at the memory.

Fortunately, the Houndour's claws and teeth hadn't gone deep enough to damage his organs, but with his stomach it had been a close call. She'd ripped into him pretty terribly there, and the pain still lingered.

Ash took a breath and continued shakily, "Sh-she had this, this _fire_ burning in her eyes, and I could just...just feel the hatred she had for me. I wanted to ask her w-why she hated me, but she just clawed and dug and glared down at me. I kept trying to yell at her and tell her to stop, but she wouldn't, she just...she just kept on...Finally, the pain...It just...just became too much, and I blacked out...I—I can st-still hear her snarling in my ears...Her g-growling...And...and I can still feel her digging...and biting..." Tears sprang into the quivering Ash's eyes, and he jammed his eyes shut, biting down on his lower lip.

Professor Oak went over to Ash's side and embraced him, allowing the boy to cry against his chest. He patted the young trainer's back comfortingly, and soon enough Ash had cried himself to sleep, leaving Professor Oak alone to ponder a difficult decision.

Professor Oak chewed on his lip thoughtfully. It was obvious this attack was not just something the boy would get over. Ash still had a small phobia of Spearow (for Professor Oak had found out about his incident with them and Pikachu), and even then the situation had not been as fearful as this one. Unless Professor Oak did something about it, Ash would be afraid of Houndour (and most like Houndoom as well—if not all doglike Pokémon) for the rest of his life. With Spearow, a phobia was not so bad, for Spearow were not very strong birds nor were they very popular and, if anything, what Ash would come up against in battle would be their evolution, Fearow. The popularity of Houndour, however, was likely to spring up very quickly, for Houndour was a relatively new Pokémon to the Kanto region and was rather powerful. Also, this experience of Ash's was likely to be a lot more traumatic than the Spearow incident...Who knew how the boy would react.

The Pokémon Professor clenched his right fist. This was a decision that shouldn't have to be made...But it most likely did.

Should he keep Ash saddled with a new phobia for the rest of his life or present a possibly life-threatening solution?

Well, perhaps he should talk with Ash about it and have him make the decision. But Delia must not find out at all costs. Professor Oak already knew what her opinion on the matter would be.


	4. Decisions Decisions

The doctors finally let Ash out of the hospital with great reluctance. He was still somewhat weak, and they advised him to be careful, but they couldn't keep him at the hospital forever. Especially not when he was getting rather restless. And the last thing anyone wanted was a restless Ash Ketchum on his hands.

"At last, Pikachu," Ash rejoiced to the Pokémon riding on his shoulder, "I'll get to eat something other than hospital food!"

"Pi, Pika-pi!" Pikachu said happily. He was glad his trainer was finally coming home.

Bulbasaur was now feeling rather protective of Ash, so the trainer had replaced one of the Pokémon in his party and let the Grass-Type come with him. "Bulba!" he exclaimed warningly. **Don't run!**

Ash had been starting to get a little too joyous and had been gaining speed. Noticing how far behind his mother, Bulbasaur, Brock, Misty, and Professor Oak (who was coming to keep an eye on him and to talk to him privately) were, he paused and looked at them sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Perhaps the idea of letting him get some fresh air wasn't the greatest one," laughed Brock.

"No kidding," Misty grinned, her eyes glinting happily.

They watched Ash as he pranced happily about, and they also watched Bulbasaur as he ran frantically about trying to _stop_ Ash from prancing happily about.

Soon, they arrived at the Ketchum residence, and Ash burst into his house. "I'm home at last!" he shouted joyfully.

But out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something orange, black, and white, and suddenly his knees locked up and his vision went black.

* * *

"Ash? Ash?" a voice came to him distantly. 

"Unh?" he managed through a dry mouth, forcing his eyes open.

Misty's face was above his as she frantically fanned him with her hand. "Are you all right?"

"What happened?" Ash asked.

His friend seemed somewhat reluctant to answer, exchanging secretive looks. "Uh, you just sort of fainted..."

"Why?"

Misty looked at Brock and Delia and Professor Oak uncomfortably.

Professor Oak finally spoke, "Do you mind if I speak privately to Ash for a few moments?"

"Go ahead, Sam," Mrs. Ketchum said, appearing to be somewhat relieved.

"Let's go up to your room to talk," Professor Oak suggested. Ash nodded and led the way, a sense of dread washing over him.

The two sat down, and Ash waited for the other to begin. He was not disappointed.

"Ash, I'm afraid you're going to have some lasting effects from the Houndour incident."

A sickly look got on Ash's face as he imagined the worst.

"Ah, I see you have misinterpreted me, many apologies," Professor Oak said quickly. "Nothing physical, mind you." Ash breathed a sigh of relief. "The problem is mental...Unless other measures are taken, I'm afraid you're going to have a rather severe phobia for the rest of your life."

Ash looked down at his hands, avoiding the Pokémon Professor's eyes.

"You were wondering why you fainted? I think we both know why...You saw a black, orange, and white object your mother had out from the corner of your eye—some candle or something—, and your instincts took over and knocked you out, so that if you had been attacked again you would not have felt the pain...I do not know if every time you see those three colors together you will have the same reaction, but this phobia of yours will be a hard one to deal with. You are a strong boy, and I am sure you can handle it, but I wanted to present you with another option...Do not reject it immediately. Think it over for a few days, then get back to me on it."

A bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, Ash whispered, "What is it?"

Professor Oak told him, and a few minutes later the pair walked out of the room.

Ash forced his feet forward, the act as hard to complete as it would have been if he had a pair of Snorlax attached to them. He couldn't believe what he had been asked to ponder. He followed Professor Oak to the living room, where the Pokémon Professor soon excused himself, leaving Ash with a rambunctious Pikachu and Bulbasaur, an ecstatic mother, and two overjoyed friends.

But Ash Ketchum just couldn't enjoy himself. He had a sick feeling in the bottom of his stomach that refused to go away. He knew that in that room there was also something else. Thoughts of the decision loomed over him, and, try as he might, he couldn't get them out of his mind. He shook his head and tried to concentrate on Bulbasaur and Pikachu's argument.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** First, Cynophobia is a fear of dogs.

Second, in the series, Ash probably doesn't bear any noticeable scars from his Spearow encounter, but I think that anyone in his position would have walked out of that experience with some sort of anxiety towards Spearow in the future. Also, I think that Ash will probably always harbor some sort of dislike towards Gary, simply because they _are _rivals.


	5. Decision Made

"Hello, Ash," Professor Oak greeted, not even turning around from what he was doing to see who it was.

Ash resisted the urge to ask how the Pokémon Professor knew it was him. "Hi, Professor Oak."

"Have you made up your mind yet?" the old man asked, at last turning his head slightly.

Ash nodded. "Yeah...I...I want to give it a try."

This time, Professor Oak turned all the way around. "You do realize that it might be somewhat dangerous and that you should under no circumstance tell your mother about it, don't you?"

Ash nodded his head again, gulping.

"I admire that in you, Ash. You realize that when you fall off a Ponyta, you must get back on." Samuel Oak clasped his hands together, a hint of some emotion Ash didn't recognize glinting in his eyes. "Do you want to start today?"

"Yeah," the young trainer said, his mouth dry.

Professor Oak looked at him for a minute, appearing to think about something. "I don't think you should rely on one of your own Pokémon, like Pikachu to—how did you get here alone, by the way?" he inquired as the thought hit him.

"It wasn't easy," Ash admitted. "It took three bottles of ketchup to get Pikachu to leave me alone, and three bottles of liquid fertilizer _and_ a big basket of berries for Bulbasaur to even _think_ about letting me leave...Mom went to the store, and I convinced Misty to go swimming and Brock to try out some new recipes."

"And where is it you told them you would be?"

"Uh...out training with Kingler. But that's not the point!"

Samuel Oak smiled. "All right, Ash Ketchum. You'll get your time. I'll send you out there with a high-level Starmie left here by a trainer—" (at this, Ash thought somewhat angrily: _Probably Gary's._) and a warning: be careful. Don't tempt Houndour, or you'll regret it."

"You're not coming with me?" Ash looked worried.

"I wish I could, but I have a lot to take care of." Professor Oak gestured to his work station. "Do not be afraid. You'll be in good hands." He raised his voice slightly, "Starmie?"

The Mysterious Pokémon Teleported into the room. Ash stared at it.

"Starmie will take good care of you should anything unusual happen, making sure you come to no harm."

"Uh, all right," Ash said, not too surely.

The Psychic-Type's core glowed.

"It can even save you the long walk out there," Professor Oak stated right before Starmie Teleported itself and Ash out of the room. _Do take care of him, Starmie,_ Professor Oak thought towards the now-absent Pokémon. _We nearly lost him once, and we don't want that to happen again_..._Hopefully this plan of mine will heal two broken hearts rather than breaking one frail body._


	6. Onesided Chat

As soon as he saw the fence in front of him, Ash jammed his eyes shut. For the past few days, his heart had skipped a beat every time he saw something even remotely resembling the coloring of Houndour. He had originally planned to refuse Professor Oak's offer, but after experiencing his repetitive jumpiness, he knew that this wasn't something he could just easily get over. Fearfully, Ash forced his eyes open, and as he saw _her_, his heart stopped.

She stood lightly on the grass, her pointed black ears erect. Her fierce eyes glared at him from the sides of the sort of bone-mask she possessed on her forehead. Her white teeth glistened against her fiery orange snout, and her black nose twitched threateningly from time to time. Her stubby black tail stood erect and proud...In short, she was terrifying to Ash.

Ash blinked his eyes, trying to calm his suddenly quivering knees. He was about to black out...He could feel the darkness coming upon him...But he pushed it away and forced himself to look upon her, a slight twinge of curiosity passing over him. He had to look...Had to be sure...

He noticed the two familiar white bony protrusions (one still with a slight nick on it) on her back and the bony cuffs about her legs. Her flaming orange belly was the same color as her snout, and she looked like a Pokémon to be reckoned with..._Was_ a Pokémon to be reckoned with...Yet, despite her somewhat evil and angry appearance, Ash couldn't help but think to himself—as he had the last time he had seen her—that she was beautiful.

Realizing he was going to pass out soon due to his locked legs if he didn't do something, Ash sat down upon the ground in front of the fence and continued staring at her, inhaling short breaths.

Professor Oak had made it so that the Pokémon couldn't dig her way out again, and so she looked more perturbed than she might otherwise have been. Knowing that she couldn't hurt the human didn't stop the Houndour from growling, however, and she snarled quietly within her throat.

Softly, as soon as he could get some of his wind back and still his frantic heart, Ash began talking to her. "Were...were you waiting to attack me that day?"

The Houndour just continued glaring and growling at him.

"I...I wasn't expecting what you did...I just expected to...to see you again..." Ash was shaking as he pulled his knees up to his chest and held onto them. His breathing quickened again. "I know you've been treated badly,...but...not all trainers are like that."

She barked and snapped at the air, leaping forward and making Ash flinch and avert his eyes.

_Run away! Run away!_ a little voice in Ash's head was telling him in a frenzy, but he tried to ignore it. _We've been separated once,_ he told himself_. We don't need to be separated again..._

"I just wish you didn't hate me..."

Houndour growled.

"It still hurts, you know," Ash said quietly, touching his hand against his stomach. "I bet that's what you _think_ you want...But I don't think it's what you _really_ want. I think that really you're just lonely, like I am sometimes..." He took a breath, trying to calm his heart. "I'm sorry about what happened."

The doglike Pokémon howled, sending chills down Ash's spine.

Ash took another deep breath as emotions and memories bombarded him. It was almost too much for him, and he felt like he was on the verge of hyperventilating. His body wanted nothing more than to give into the blissful darkness...Nothing could hurt him there...Still, he pushed the urge to the back of his mind.

The high-level Starmie hovered nearby noiselessly. It seemed somewhat concerned, however, for its core changed colors uneasily.

"I can still feel it,...still feel your claws digging into me,...your hot breath over my face,...your teeth ripping into my skin..." He took in a shallow breath. "It hurt so much,..._hurts_ so much," he corrected. "I don't hate you for it, though. I'm just sort of confused...and scared." Ash finally looked up, tears shining in his eyes. "I think,...I think I saw death...I was really scared at first, but then,...then I realized it wasn't so scary. But even though I felt a sense of peace, I still had some fears, you know?"

Houndour's only reply was yet another growl as she sat down, her nostrils flaring.

Ash didn't let that stop him, however. "I didn't want to die. I haven't lived my life enough yet...It feels like there's so much I still need to do."

He was quiet for a few minutes, and the seated Houndour, the fire not quite gone from her eyes, snuffled in what almost seemed to be a curious manner.

"Have you ever faced death?" Ash asked her, trembling. But there was an eager sincerity in his eyes that took the Fire Pokémon aback. "I thought it would be cold and dark, but it isn't...Not really. There's actually light and warmth...But,...still,...even as you face that light and warmth, you know the darkness and cold are there, because _to be able_ to face that light and warmth you first had to face the cold and darkness." He jammed his eyes shut. "I don't want to face that again." Even if the darkness _was_ calling to him.

A few minutes later, when Ash looked up, the Houndour was gone.

* * *

"How was your training with Kingler?" Brock asked Ash when he got home. 

"Uh, all right," Ash answered briefly before heading towards his room. Pikachu tried to follow him, but Ash shut the door before he could go in.

"Pika?" the little Pokémon asked worriedly. He ran into the kitchen where Brock was to complain. "Pika, pika," he said miserably. His dark round eyes looked up at the Rock Pokémon lover sadly.

"It's all right, Pikachu." Brock tried to soothe him. "Ash just needs some time to himself. Don't worry."

"Chu," the Electric-Type said resignedly. Even the thought of ketchup couldn't cheer him up at the moment. His Pika-pi needed him!

But if his Pika-pi didn't want to talk, then he couldn't make him...


	7. The Past

**Author's Note:** This fic is set at the end of "Pallet Party Picnic," except in this fic, Ash and company didn't leave Pallet Town as they did at the end.

* * *

"Ash!" Mrs. Ketchum called. "It's time to eat dinner!" 

"I'm not hungry," came the boy's muffled voice.

"It's not like Ash to refuse a meal," Brock observed concernedly.

Misty bit her lip, staring off into space for a minute. "I'm gonna go talk to him," she said, getting up and going to Ash's room. Brock watched her leave, a slight frown on his face.

Misty rapped quietly on Ash's door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Misty," replied the concerned redhead.

"What do you want?" His voice sounded strained.

"I want to talk...That is, if you want to."

There was a long pause, and, for a minute, Misty thought he was going to ignore her. However, after a few moments, the door opened.

Ash's eyes were rimmed with red, and Misty could tell he was still shaking from the after-effects of crying.

"Can I come in?" Misty whispered, almost afraid to ask.

He nodded, and they went and sat down on his bed.

"Ash, are you okay?" Misty stared at him, her eyes conveying her worry.

He was quiet for a moment, but at last he spoke. "I went and talked to Houndour today."

"What?" Misty exclaimed. "You shouldn't go _near_ that thing after what happened!"

"It's...not her fault..."

"_Not her fault_?" the redhead repeated skeptically. "It's not her fault she tried to tear you limb from limb?"

At this, Ash's temper flared. "What do _you_ understand about being lonely and being abused? Have you _been there_, have you _felt_ the things it does to you?"

Misty looked at him coldly. When she spoke, it was as if there was ice in her voice. "As a matter of fact, I have." She stared at him for a moment, the look just short of being a glare. "You forget, Ash, that growing up, I was the _runt_...My parents both died in an accident, leaving the gym and me to be taken care of by my three _beautiful sisters_." There was a bitter tone in her voice as she continued. "Three swans raising an ugly duckling and taking care of a Pokémon gym, both of which they didn't want. They hate Pokémon battles and always have...As for me...Whatever I do is never good enough for them. I could clean the entire gym with a toothbrush, but they would still find some reason to complain." She sighed. "They always have...I finally just decided I had to get out of there."

Ash looked at her with surprise. He'd never heard her talk about this before. Hesitantly, all his earlier ferocity gone, he asked, "What happened to your parents?"

Misty gave a humorless laugh that sent shivers down Ash's spine. "It's somewhat ironic, really. The two leaders of the Cerulean Gym, a gym specializing in Water Pokémon, both died in a fire...The police put it down as accidental, but I think it was arson..." She took in a haggard breath. "Goldeen is all I have left of them." She stared into space for a moment before speaking again. "The day my parents died, I decided to specialize in Water Pokémon just like them."

The dark-haired Pokémon trainer stared down at his hands. Suddenly, he felt horrible.

But Misty took on a lighter tone, pushing all those painful memories to the back of her mind, "What about you?"

He didn't reply, tensing up and continuing to observe his hands.

Misty lightly touched his shoulder. "Ash?"

Soon, he spoke, not meeting her eyes. "My father just left us to go on a Pokémon journey. Left, just like that. It wasn't even that he was starting on a new adventure. He'd already _been_ on his Pokémon journey, succeeding in beating nearly everyone in his path...Eventually, he met my mom and decided to settle down. He'd gotten his awards, won his battles...And then one day, he decided he was leaving for _more_ Pokémon battles."

He swallowed, then continued with a somewhat guilty tone. "That day, he took me aside, and, smiling, he brought out a big box and set it in front of me. There were holes in the side, so I had an idea of what it was." Ash's eyes glittered with tears. "I opened up the box...and..." his breath caught, "and...there was what to me was the most beautiful sight in the world. A real live Pokémon, black, white, and orange, sat in the box looking up at me with its innocent dark eyes. I stared at it for what seemed like an eternity, memorizing its every detail. I even noticed it had a slight nick on one of the bones sticking out on its back, but I didn't care. I knew it was mine, and that erased any possible shortcomings from my mind.

"I picked the eager squirming Pokémon up and looked up at my father with this big smile on my face, but as soon as my smile started, it left. My father was giving me this strange look, and I knew right then that whatever he was going to say wasn't going to be good. He said—" at this, Ash coughed, choking up. "He said, 'Ash, I want you to take care of her. She's a rare Fire- and Dark-Type I got from a land far from Kanto—Dark being mostly an unknown type in Kanto right now—, and she needs someone to train her. She's not very strong right now, but you can train her when you're both older...I'm going to be going away for a while, and—' I just cut him off," Ash said, trying to blink back the moisture in his eyes. "I knew he was lying. He didn't plan on coming back. I yelled at him and told him to take his stupid Pokémon back; I would get one of my own without help from him. I would succeed on my own Pokémon journey _without_ any help from him. I looked at the Pokémon one last time, but this time with anger instead of happiness, and she looked with sadness at me. She knew something was wrong..."

He bit his lip in remembrance. "My dad...got really angry, threw her Pokéball at her, took her, and left." His eyes closed, Ash whispered, "That was the last I ever saw of him...and her...Until..."

"Until the other day," said Misty quietly as it dawned on her. "_That_ used to be your Pokémon?"

Opening his eyes slowly, Ash nodded minutely. "I don't know how Professor Oak got her or what my dad did to her...I was going to ask, but...I'm not so sure if I want to know."

Misty gave a weak smile. "I know what you mean. If I ever find out who killed my parents...I don't know what I'll do."

Ash nodded again. "I don't know what I would do if I saw my dad again...But, seeing Houndour again...I want to make my peace with her. I'm...I'm sorry that she's been surrounded by hate and anger for most of her life,...and that it's mostly my fault..."

"It's not your fault your dad left," Misty said quietly.

"Yeah, but if I hadn't been so stubborn, I would have kept her."

"But then you might never have gotten Pikachu," pointed out Ash's companion.

Ash tried to imagine his life without the yellow rodent, and he had to admit that things could have gone a lot differently.

"Yeah," Ash said softly. "But now I have to right this, Misty...I have to help ease some of Houndour's pain."

"I understand..." The redhead looked at the dark-haired trainer. "Do you want me to go with you?" she asked.

"Maybe later," Ash told her. "Right now, I need to go alone."

"All right," Misty said. She paused for a moment, thinking, then said, "You might get a Psychic Pokémon to translate back and forth between you and Houndour if you want to _really _speak to her..."

"Okay."

"Now, why don't you come and eat dinner with us?"

Ash thought for a moment, then he nodded slowly. "Okay. I think I will."

On impulse, Misty grabbed his hand and led him out of his room. She wouldn't have him changing his mind.


	8. More Talk

Starmie hovered in the air as Ash talked to Houndour, who was doing her best to ignore him, though she was actually staying near the fence so Ash could see her.

"I'm sorry I left you, Houndour," Ash was saying. "I wasn't mad at you, I was mad at my dad." He pulled on a blade of grass. "Do you even remember me?"

At this, Houndour turned and looked at Ash, who was gazing down at the ground. A hint of sadness passed through her eyes, and, so softly that Ash and Starmie couldn't hear her, she said, **Yes.**

"I don't know what my dad did to you, but I'd like to apologize for whatever it was. He had no right to be mean to you...But he does a lot of things that he has no right to do." Ash got quieter, and the blade of grass suddenly became even more interesting to him. After a minute, he began speaking again. "I wish that I had kept you and been able to save you from all the pain you've gone through..." Intense sadness washed over his face. "I can understand why you're mad at me, but I want to help you. I want to be the friend that you've never had. I want to show you that you're worthy of loving,...that humans aren't all bad."

Houndour brought a leg up and scratched at her ear, seemingly not paying attention to him.

But Ash knew better. "I know you're trying to act like you're ignoring me. But you're not growling at me, so I think you're trying to listen. I don't know what you expect from me. You probably think that I just want to train you and hurt you more...But I don't want to train you if you don't want to be trained...I just want to be your friend."

At this, the Fire- and Dark-Type's eyes flared in anger, and she barked out madly and caused Ash to flinch. **You _say_ that and _pretend_ you want to befriend Pokémon, but you are no different than the rest. All you want to do is train and battle with your Pokémon. They are not your friends. They are your _machines_!**

As the somewhat bewildered Ash forced himself to stare at the suddenly speaking Houndour, he found that he understood what she was saying. Starmie had granted him his request!...But it was strange. It didn't seem like Starmie was actually translating for him; it felt instead like Starmie had just provided him the missing link he needed to understand Houndour...

Pushing those thoughts to the rear of his mind, Ash forced himself back to the present. "That's not true! My Pokémon care for me, and I care for them. I would _die_ for them...And they would die for me."

Houndour snorted and then turned around, appearing to be ignoring Ash once again.

Ash stood up on an impulse and began yelling for Kingler. Soon enough, the crustacean showed up, happily scuttling towards Ash.

"Kingler!" Ash exclaimed happily, sitting down and hugging the Pokémon. He smiled, then looked at Houndour.

"Kingler, you do know that I would give my life for you, don't you?" Ash asked the crab seriously.

The Pincer Pokémon replied in its squelchy voice. **Yes, I do. And I would give up my life for you...**

Ash looked at the skeptical canine, who snorted once again.

**Kingler says that only because it is your slave,** Houndour said caustically.

The trainer glared at the Dark Pokémon. "All right, you want some proof?" His eyes flashed. "Slaves do anything their masters ask them without question, right?"

**Right,** Houndour said, yawning.

Ash stood up. "Kingler, I want you to use Bubblebeam on _me_."

The Water-Type stared at him for a moment, then began to protest, **But—**

"If I were your master and you were my slave and I told you to do something, you would do it, wouldn't you?"

Kingler looked confused. **Yes, but—**

"Attack me with Bubblebeam."

Kingler knocked his overgrown pincer against the ground with some effort. **No, Ash,** the Pincer Pokémon said. **I refuse to hurt you.**

Nostrils flaring, Ash turned to Houndour. "If my Pokémon were my slaves and they hated me, don't you think they would jump at a chance to attack me?"

The crab Pokémon blinked. **I don't hate you, Ash.**

**It's gonna take a lot more than some wimpy crab to make me believe you,** Houndour said, her eyes glinting.

"If you don't believe anything I say, then how come you're talking to me?" Ash asked, clenching his fists.

The Dark Pokémon threw a glare at him, then got up and turned her back to him, sitting down. Quietly, she said, **You're no different from your father.**

Ash untensed his fists, and he began to tremble. "That's not true," the trainer whispered. "I care for my Pokémon...I would never have abused you as he did..."

**Rejection is no longer considered abuse?** shot back the Houndour, turning around to face him.

"I was just a kid," Ash defended himself. "I didn't know what I was doing."

The canine's anger faded away and was replaced by extreme sorrow. **Yes, youth seems to blind us to everything...**

"I'm sorry your youth was ruined by my father," said Ash quietly.

**I'm sorry, too,** Houndour said, before standing up and walking away, disappearing once again.

Ash stared after her for a long time before he left.

* * *

Misty rapped quietly on Ash's door. "It's Misty," she said. 

"Come in," Ash's voice came to her.

She opened the door. Ash was sitting on his bed, staring blankly into nothingness. There were no remnants of crying visible on his face this time, just a profound sadness that seemed so unlike him.

The redhead lightly sat down beside him. After a few moments, she queried gently, "How did it go this time?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "...But I think...I think I'm not scared of her anymore...Well, maybe a little," he amended, "but now that I understand more, I know why she did what she did."

Misty placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "As long as things are improving..."

"Yeah," Ash said, a little unsurely. Then he put more confidence into his voice and repeated himself, "_Yeah_..."

He only hoped things really _were_ improving.


	9. Battle

**Author's Note:** Psychic talk is indicated like ()this().**  
**

**

* * *

**

**You two again?** Houndour asked, an exasperated note in her voice. **Don't you ever give up?**

"Nope," Ash said with a light smile. "I won't give up until you at least stop hating me."

**Looks like you'll be visiting me every day for the rest of your life, then.**

Ash didn't reply to that. He took a sudden interest in his hands, instead. He hesitated before he spoke, not wanting to upset the Dark Pokémon with his curiosity. "How did you come to be in Professor Oak's care?"

He was right in that his question was somewhat upsetting to Houndour, but at least this time she didn't look like she wanted to murder him as _badly_. **For years I was ruthlessly trained by that monstrous human you call your father...Every battle I lost I was punished for...He kept training me and training me, waiting for me to evolve, but I never did. Finally, he had so many other strong Pokémon that a Pokémon which refused to evolve was more of a hassle than it was worth. He dumped me out into the streets of Viridian City, where I tried to wreak some vengeance on a pair of wretched humans before a bunch of trainers stopped me. I fought their Pokémon and would have won if it hadn't been for a blasted Drowzee's Hypnosis attack. From there, I assume I was passed directly on to Professor Oak, who has confined me to this accursed place.**

The young trainer picked at one of his fingernails absent-mindedly. He wanted to ask more about his father,...wanted to know where he was...But even as he felt the desire, he didn't think he really wanted to know the answer...Didn't want to know more about the monster his father had become.

He looked at Houndour, at her raised fur, her tensed back, the seemingly permanent snarl etched onto her face...Her eyes glinted fiercely, warning him to leave. But Ash knew he couldn't. He owed her more than that.

The trainer continued staring. He had to look past the monstrous canine on the outside, looking in at the hurt puppy on the inside. It was there, he knew. Hiding inside, in some dark corner, sat Houndour's fear. Like a frightened child, the fear hid itself away, praying to be left alone, to not be found.

But Ash wanted to find that fear, soothe it, let Houndour know humans could be trusted.

What did he have to do to prove it to the canine? What magic words could Ash say to make the pain go away?

Suddenly, an idea came up to Ash and tugged on his figurative sleeve. He tried to push it aside, but it kept tugging and whimpering. Finally, with a sigh, Ash prepared to voice it aloud. "Houndour?"

"Houn?" the dour Pokémon inquired reluctantly after a moment's pause.

"What if..." Ash began slowly, "what if we found my father and beat him in a Pokémon battle?"

The Dark- and Fire-Type started laughing hoarsely, a sound that made Ash jump. **You do not look as if you could beat up a tired Magikarp, much less your father.**

"Hey!" Ash said defensively, standing up. "Bulbasaur beat you, didn't he?"

The canine's eyes narrowed. **Only by luck.**

**Ash's got a lot of luck,** observed a somewhat amused voice from behind Ash.

The startled trainer swiveled around to face his Squirtle. "Squirtle!" he exclaimed. "Why are you here?"

The Water-Type shrugged, looking up at Starmie. **Why didn't you think about having me protect you?** he asked, sounding somewhat hurt. **I could do a lot better than that psycho star could hope to do.**

The so-called "psycho star" began to change colors at its core, and Ash whispered a soft, "Uh oh."

A strange voice came from the star and said something eerie-sounding, and Starmie let loose a powerful Hydro Pump that threw Squirtle onto the ground.

"Squirt!" cried the surprised turtle's voice.

Houndour snorted. **If your slaves can be beat by that Psychic-Type, then you're an even worse trainer than I thought.**

"Hey!" Ash shouted as Squirtle cried out: **I'm not his slave!**

Ash growled under his breath. "I'll show you." He turned to the floating Water- and Psychic-Type. "Hey, Starmie, you up for a Pokémon battle?"

The purple Pokémon's strange voice shot back a loud affirmative. Starmie was eager to prove its strength.

"Squirtle, what about you?" Ash asked the Tinyturtle Pokémon.

"Squirtle!" the blue creature replied, eyes flashing. He was ready.

Houndour sat down, crossed her forepaws, and got comfortable. An evil grin played on her face...Professor Oak was not going to like this if he found out.

"All right, Squirtle," said Ash, preparing to give the turtle orders.

Squirtle looked at him. **Is it fair for me to have a trainer and Starmie not to?**

Houndour barked in laughter. **Are you kidding? Starmie will probably win more easily without that joke of a trainer giving it orders. However, if you're _that_ concerned, _I_ can give the star orders.**

Squirtle glared at her. **As if you even _know_ Starmie's attacks.**

Yawning, Houndour rattled off, **Tackle, Harden, Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Recover, Swift, Bubblebeam, Minimize, Light Screen, Hydro Pump. Of course, those are the attacks without the benefit of TMs or HMs, some of which have probably been taught to Starmie by its trainer.**

Ash stared. "How did you...?"

**I learned some things from my time with that brute you call your father,** Houndour answered tightly. **You ready for a battle?**

Ash looked at the floating purple star. "That okay with you, Starmie?"

()Perfectly fine,() the Water- and Psychic-Type said in all of their minds.

The trainer struck his battle pose. "Then you're on!"

The thought didn't even occur to Ash that tiring out the two Pokémon that could save him if Houndour tried to pull any tricks might not be the wisest idea. Instead, his mind was on the battle and on proving to Houndour that he _was_ a worthy trainer.

"You ready, Squirtle?" Ash asked, grinning.

"Squirtle!" the Water-Type cried in confirmation.

Without hesitation, Houndour began the battle. **Starmie, Harden.**

The purple Pokémon glistened as it performed the defensive move.

"Squirtle, whip it with your tail!" Ash cried.

"Squirtle!" the blue turtle cried out as he jumped up and slapped Starmie with his tail.

The Psychic star wasn't even fazed. It rose up a little, awaiting a command from Houndour.

**Minimize,** the Fire- and Dark-Type said simply.

Starmie's core glowed, and it began to shrink, increasing its chance of avoiding attacks.

"Watch out, Squirtle. It's going to be harder to hit it now. Try Bubble to lower its speed!" Ash said to his Pokémon.

"Squirtle!" the foot and a half tall Pokémon cried, opening its mouth and letting loose a barrage of bubbles.

Houndour laughed, her voice raspy. **It's going to take a lot more than that puny Water move to take down Starmie...Starmie, Light Screen.**

A shield appeared to screen the star from Special Attacks.

"Squirtle, Bite!"

**Psychic!** Houndour inserted quickly with an evil grin.

The Squirtle leapt up to chomp on the glowing Starmie, but he was thrown backwards by the angered Psychic- and Water-Type's powerful Psychic attack. "Squir!" he cried, landing at Ash's feet.

Ash leaned over his Pokémon. "Squirtle, you all right?"

The Squirtle shook of his dazed state, leaping to his feet. "Squirtle!" he yelled an affirmative.

**Starmie, Swift,** Houndour said, taking advantage of her extra time.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" Ash said hurriedly.

The Tinyturtle Pokémon quickly did as he was told, pulling his head inside his shell. The stars thrown at him by Starmie buffeted his shell, but inside he was doing just fine.

The Starmie came closer, and Ash shouted, "Skull Bash, _now_!"

"_Squirtle_!" the Water Pokémon yelled as it ejected its head and rammed it into the purple star.

With a loud _thud_, the Starmie fell to the ground. Its core shone faintly, changing colors sporadically. Ash began grinning, sure that the battle was won.

Ash could just barely hear Houndour's order. **Recover.**

The Starmie glowed as it used the recovery move.

"No fair!" Ash shouted.

**Welcome to my world,** muttered Houndour.

"Tackle it!" commanded Ash.

**Counter it,** Houndour said while the Squirtle leapt up into the air.

The two crashed together with a horrendous noise. Both fell on the ground in a faint.

"Squirtle!...Starmie!" Ash yelled as he ran forward to the two unconscious Pokémon.

Squirtle's shell was slightly cracked, as was Starmie's core. Both looked like they had taken a heavy beating.

Houndour said something, but Ash was unable to understand it completely. It was almost like he was on the _verge_ of understanding the Dark Pokémon on his own, but he was not quite there. Without Starmie to help with communications, all Ash got was: ...it...have...tie.

"Yeah, a tie," Ash mumbled. He closed his eyes tightly. Professor Oak was not going to like this.

* * *

Professor Oak stared directly at Ash, who was pointedly avoiding his gaze. At last, the youth looked up to meet the older man's eyes. That was when Samuel Oak began to speak. "Ash, I don't even know what to say to you. I send Starmie out with you to serve as protection, and then you go and do _this_..." A note of what could have been awe mixed with confusion was in his voice as he said, "I cannot believe you had a Pokémon battle against...a Pokémon!" 

Ash wasn't quite sure what to say to that. "I...I was just trying to earn Houndour's respect!"

The Pokémon Professor sternly continued to stare at the trainer in front of him. At last, he averted his eyes with a sigh. "I believe you, Ash. Just, the next time you're in a battle, be more careful. You don't need to let your Pokémon fight until it gets in such a terrible condition."

"Yes, Professor," Ash mumbled. After a moment, he asked, "Are they going to be okay?"

"Squirtle and Starmie will be fine," Professor Oak answered. "They just need some rest. Meanwhile, you'd probably better go back home. You don't anyone becoming suspicious and coming out here and finding out what happened."

Ash nodded, somewhat relieved he'd gotten off as easily as he had. "Thanks. Bye, Professor."

The older man stood in the same place in silence for a while afterward, thinking.

_If this were a normal situation, I would have done more than scolded him_, Professor Oak sighed to himself. _But I think this business with Houndour is helping Ash...And it may even help Houndour. Yes, though it was foolish to have the two Water-Types battling quite so long, it might have been one of the best ways for Ash to break the ice with Houndour._ The Professor frowned. _Of course, how Ash _got _into a Pokémon battle is beyond me. I wonder what he said that got everyone all riled up?_

Samuel Oak blinked. He hoped that this was the best way for Ash to work matters out...If anything happened to Ash, Delia would have Professor Oak's head.

After checking on Starmie and Squirtle, Professor Oak decided he would go make some rice balls. They seemed like a perfect end to this somewhat unorthodox day. A Pokémon battle against a Pokémon indeed.


	10. Discovery

The next day, the first thing on Ash's agenda was checking on Squirtle and Starmie. The latter was doing one hundred percent, and the former needed just a little more rest. "I'm sorry you guys got hurt yesterday," Ash said to them. Professor Oak had left him alone with them.

()It's okay,() Starmie said in Ash's mind.

"Squirtle!" **Wasn't your fault!**

Ash smiled. "You get some rest, Squirtle." Squirtle nodded, and he went back to sleep. The trainer turned to the purple star. "You up to taking me out to Houndour again today?" he asked.

Starmie's strange voice gave an affirmative, and the star's core flashed as it used Teleport.

* * *

"Hi, Houndour," Ash greeted after glancing at Starmie. He plopped down into the grass in front of Houndour's fence.

**You're becoming a regular,** Houndour said sarcastically, turning her head to look at Ash. **I take it Professor Oak decided not to massacre you.**

"Yup."

**Typical human stupidity,** snorted the Dark Pokémon.

"Hey!" Ash exclaimed.

**You know, I've decided that you're right in that you're not like your father. He has ten times the brains you do.**

Ash glared at Houndour, growling underneath his breath.

**It was wise when I waited in hiding that day to remove you from the human gene pool. A pity it didn't work.**

The trainer's nostrils flared, but he tried to keep his temper down. "So you _were_ waiting that day. Did you know who I was?"

**Know who you were? Are you kidding? I could smell your foul odor from a mile away,** came Houndour's caustic reply.

"Why do you have to be so angry at the world? Can't you just give up on being mad? If I'm such a bad person and trainer, then how come you and Starmie didn't beat me yesterday?" Ash asked.

**Your Squirtle is unusually strong...I assume that I'm not the only Pokémon refusing to let evolution take its course.**

"Yeah," Ash said. "Evolution isn't always a good thing. A lot of my Pokémon haven't evolved and they're still good battlers: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Pikachu...Charmander evolved, but that didn't turn out so well. I guess neither of us were really ready for it...Krabby's evolution came out okay, though."

Houndour's furry brow furrowed somewhat. **Pikachu evolves with a Thunder Stone,** she said carefully.

"Yeah, I know. Pikachu didn't want to evolve, though," Ash explained.

The Fire- and Dark-Type seemed even more confused. **You mean, you didn't make it evolve?**

"Nope," answered the trainer. "There's no reason to make a Pokémon evolve that doesn't want to. They should only evolve when they're ready. Some Pokémon are never ready, and just because they have evolved doesn't mean they're automatically stronger than those they evolved _from_. After all, Pikachu's beaten a Raichu."

Houndour's quizzicalness didn't dissipate. **I thought all trainers wanted their Pokémon to evolve.**

"Not necessarily. You shouldn't force your Pokémon to do something it doesn't want to," Ash said. He winced as he thought of Charizard, but it wasn't like he could _force_ the big Fire-Type to do anything even if he wanted to.

**The more you talk, the more I don't understand you, Ash Ketchum,** Houndour said quietly.

Ash glanced at Starmie (who was always so quiet) briefly before moving his gaze back to Houndour. "I get that a lot." He grinned.

**How have you managed to survive so long with so many unevolved Pokémon?** wondered the canine aloud.

"It's what's inside that counts, not what's outside."

Houndour turned sad eyes on him. **And if all that's inside is pain?**

Ash sobered, answering quietly and seriously. "Then you have to bring some joy. Houndour, there are so many great things out there, and if you just sit and mope, then you're never gonna see 'em. You're never gonna make new friends, do cool things...You need to enjoy life. If you don't like life, then what are you left with?"

Houndour didn't say anything.

"That's what being a trainer's about," Ash continued. "Seeing things, meeting people...It's the journey that counts, not the end...The end is uncertain, but you know good stuff is gonna happen along the way. That's what matters. The battling isn't the most important thing."

Houndour laid her head down on the ground, looking drained. **Without battles, what do you have left?**

"Friendships...Memories..." Ash trailed off.

Suddenly, a familiar murine voice cried out, "Pika-pi!"

Ash turned to see his little Electric Pokémon running frantically towards him.

He had been discovered.

Pikachu promptly began chewing his trainer out, but Starmie didn't bother to translate what Pikachu said. Ash understood what the yellow rodent meant well enough.

"Chu chu chu, Pika-pi. Chupika chu-pi pika pika!" scolded Pikachu.

"Sorry, Pikachu, but this is something I have to do," Ash told the little mouse.

"Hound?" Houndour tilted her head, looking surprised that Ash would allow his Pokémon to talk to him like that. The boy's Pikachu seemed...concerned. Was it really possible for Pokémon to care for their trainers?

Pikachu continued his tirade, waving his short arms frantically about to emphasize his speech.

Ash interrupted him. "Pikachu, it's okay. I'm fine. Houndour's a _good_ Pokémon."

Pikachu gave him a sour look. "Piii," he growled.

Houndour gave the Electric-Type a fanged grin. Pikachu narrowed his eyes.

"I haven't told anyone else about it, but I plan to be leaving soon. A future Pokémon Master can't stay too long in one place," Ash grinned. "I haven't okayed it with Professor Oak, but I was...sort of hoping you'd go with me, Houndour."

"Pi!" Pikachu's mouth dropped open.

"Dour?" Houndour's eyes widened. She blinked a few times, then asked him, **You mean, you would actually trust me?**

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "You don't have to battle or anything if you don't want to, but I want to let you see what most trainers are like."

**_You can't be serious!_** Pikachu shouted, jumping up in front of Ash's face and waving his arms about.

The trainer ignored his hyperactive electric mouse. "Whaddaya say, Houndour?"

Houndour still seemed confused. **What's to stop me from hurting you again?** she asked.

"Only yourself," Ash answered. "I trust you."

The Dark- and Fire-Type couldn't understand how he could even think about making such an offer. She had nearly _killed_ him, but he was asking her to travel with him? Looking closer and stretching her senses out, she finally understood how much asking her this was costing him. The boy's heart was thumping in his chest; a bead of sweat was rolling down his cheek; his fists were clenched in a combination of fear and determination; his knees were shaking barely perceptibly; a muscle was twitching in his jaw. She knew he was still afraid, but he was willing to risk it for _her_. He would put his _life_ on the line so that she would finally be able to escape her past of fear and pain, a past which seemed determined not to let her from its grasp.

He would do it even though everyone else would tell him that it was a bad idea. He would follow his heart.

Eyes glistening and throat constricted, Houndour said to him, **I will go with you.**


	11. Flamekist

"Now, Ash, I won't keep you from doing what you want to do, but are you absolutely sure that this is a good idea?" Professor Oak asked, staring at the young trainer in front of him. The Pokémon Professor's misgivings were written clearly on his face.

"I don't know if it's a good idea," the youth answered, "but I'm gonna do it. No matter what."

"Piiika," pleaded the little yellow Pokémon on Ash's shoulders. The mouse turned to Samuel Oak in distress, begging the Professor to change his trainer's mind.

"It'll be okay, Pikachu," Ash tried to reassure him.

Professor Oak thought for a moment before speaking. He didn't think letting Ash go with the Houndour was wise at all, but he had a feeling in his gut that it was important for Ash to follow through with this. Why? Samuel Oak did not know. The gut feeling just persisted. "Do you want to take Starmie with you?" The Starmie wasn't exactly his, but he was sure its trainer wouldn't miss it _too_ much.

Ash thought for a moment. Having Starmie along to translate would be rather handy, but he didn't want that obstacle in the way. He preferred to learn to communicate with his Pokémon on his own. "No," he answered firmly.

**_Helloo?_** Pikachu protested, waving his arms in front of his trainer's face.

"I still don't know about this, Ash," Professor Oak said unsurely. "You could get hurt again..."

"It's a chance I'm willing to take!" Ash said. He was beginning to get a little annoyed.

"And what if she tries to hurt someone else?" Professor Oak pointed out.

"Pikachu and I won't let that happen. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika," Pikachu turned his head aside in rejection. He was not a happy electric mouse.

"Don't worry, Professor Oak," the youth stated. "Things'll turn out all right. You'll see."

"I do hope so, Ash." Professor Oak turned. "Here is Houndour's Pokéball. Please be careful...And I wouldn't advertise the fact that you're taking Houndour with you to your mother just yet."

Ash nodded, a slight grin on his face. "I'm not gonna let anyone know until after we've left Pallet Town tomorrow. Pikachu won't tell anyone, right, buddy?"

Pikachu ignored him, jumping onto the ground. He crossed his arms. "Pikachu," he said frustratedly.

* * *

"Before we leave, I'm gonna go get my Pokémon," Ash told his mother and his friends. "I'll be right back."

Bulbasaur followed him, singing to himself, "Bul-ba, bul-ba..."

Pikachu, now left alone with the three humans, quickly set to work. "Pika pika!" he said frantically, getting their attention. He pointed to the door where Ash had just left, then he pulled at his face and tried to make his face resemble Houndour's.

"What is it, Pikachu?" Misty asked, puzzled.

Seeing that wasn't working, Pikachu pulled at his ears and shortened them, then tried to make his face look like Houndour's without the aid of his hands. "Ka ka!" Pikachu barked as well as he could.

Delia laughed. "Such a silly little Pikachu."

Scowling, Pikachu tried to bend his tail to make his short like Houndour's, and he tried barking again.

"It looks like Pikachu's ready to get on the road," Brock laughed.

"Pi," Pikachu sweat-dropped. He mumbled angrily to himself, **Stupid humans.**

* * *

Ash visited Squirtle in Professor Oak's laboratory first. "Hey, Squirtle, you ready to go?"

"Squirtle!" the turtle said.

Ash held out Squirtle's Pokéball, and the turtle disappeared with a flash of light. He turned to Bulbasaur. "You ready to go back into your Pokéball yet?" he asked.

"Bulba," the Grass-Type nodded. Soon, he disappeared as well.

The next Pokémon Ash got was Muk, who was very happy to see him again. Charizard, on the other hand, was not happy at all to see him, and after getting the Fire-Type into his Pokéball Ash was more than slightly charred. Ash's many Tauros and his Kingler were sad to see him go, but they knew they would see him again.

Ash's last stop was Houndour.

"I'm here," Ash stated.

"Houndour," the canine snorted, and Ash thought he sensed a bit of sarcasm in her speech. However, beneath the sarcasm he felt like he could sense Houndour's surprise that he was really going through with it all.

"Uh, first off, do you mind Pokéballs?"

Houndour threw him a vicious glare.

"I'll take that as a no," Ash muttered. "Well," he said, smiling nervously, "you'll have to be in one at first until we leave Pallet Town, and then I'll let you out and you won't have to back inside...Is that okay?" He held his breath, crossing his fingers behind his back.

The Dark Pokémon stared at him a few moments before inclining her head in agreement. **Yes.**

"Great!" Ash said, beaming. "Oh, uh, one more thing..."

Houndour looked at him.

"The moment I saw you, I had a nickname for you, but after everything that happened, I never got to give it you...I was wondering, if you'd...well, you know, if you'd...let me call you...Flamekist." Ash seemed hopeful, his brown eyes wide.

The canine gave him a suspicious look. **That name sounds almost familiar...**

Ash only got pieces of what she said, but he was able to discern her meaning. What she said sparked his memories of a time many years ago.

"_Heya, sport," a deep voice said. It was accompanied by a long, strong arm that came down and ruffled the dark hair on young Ash's hair. "Watchin' _Pokémon Justice League _again, I see."_

_Little Ash smiled up at his father. The show was new, and it was Ash's favorite. He loved seeing all the Pokémon protect people from harm. His father knew that he liked the show, and whenever he could, he watched it with him._

"_That Flamekist's a beauty, isn't she?"_

_The boy nodded. "I want a Pokémon like her. A dog that can fire people."_

_The man laughed, a pleasant sound. Eyes twinkling, he said, "A dog that can fire people, huh? Maybe someday you'll get one of those."_

_Young Ash brightened. If his father said it, it was usually so._

Ash shook his head, clearing away the memory. Softly, he told Houndour, "Flamekist was my favorite character on the television show _Pokémon__ Justice League_..."

Houndour stared at him for a minute. Finally, she sighed in acquiescence. **All right.**

"Great!" Ash said, grinning widely. "Well, you'd better go into the ball now, but I'll be seeing you soon." She nodded, and he threw her Pokéball at her. A few minutes later, after saying goodbye to Professor Oak, he was on the way back to his house, where an angry Pikachu, a saddened mother, and two ready friends were waiting for him.


	12. HoundHoun

"—and don't forget to change your underwear every day," Delia finished.

"I know, Mom, I know!" Ash said, blushing furiously. Misty and Brock laughed at him.

Delia grabbed her son in a hug. "You be careful, okay, sweetie?"

"Okay!" Ash said, sounding exasperated. "I'm not a baby, you know."

"You'll always be my baby boy," Mrs. Ketchum said with glistening eyes. She bent down beside Pikachu, who was still mad at Ash for his decision to take the Houndour along with him. "Goodbye, Pikachu," Delia said, patting him on the head.

"Pika," the mouse said reluctantly, still sulking.

"Bye, Mrs. Ketchum!" Brock and Misty said.

"Bye, Mom!" Ash sent.

"Have fun!" Delia called, smiling.

* * *

They had been moving along the path away from Pallet Town for about fifteen minutes before Ash decided it was _time_. He stopped walking (getting curious looks from Misty and Brock and an angered look from a knowing Pikachu), pulled a Pokéball off his belt, and enlarged it.

When the Houndour materialized, Brock stood open-mouthed and Misty gasped, "You brought her _with _you?"

"Hound?" the canine said, looking nervous and out-of-place. She was glad to be out of the Pokéball, but she was not happy that she was surrounded by three humans.

"Guys," Ash said, "I'd like you to meet Flamekist."

Brock (who was still speechless) and Misty (who felt uneasy) both looked at the Fire- and Dark-Type skeptically. Pikachu refused to look at her.

Misty was the first to speak, though it was somewhat unsurely. She thought it was dangerous that Ash had brought the Houndour with him, but she knew intuitively that it was necessary to help Ash heal, and she wanted to be supportive of him. She looked into Ash's hopeful eyes, and she just couldn't bring herself to reprimand him for his decision.

She didn't know what possessed her to want to say what she did next. "Can I touch her?" Her hand went to her mouth in shock.

Ash felt his heart leap up in his throat. What if Flamekist decided that this was all nonsense and changed her mind? What if Ash's stupid kindness got Misty hurt? Was this all a big mistake?

He looked into the canine's eyes, and he saw the fear, unease, and worry that were reflected by his own eyes. He had to trust her. That was all he could do.

"Flamekist," Ash said quietly. "Will you let Misty touch you?"

Her throat tight, the Houndour stared back at the dark-haired trainer. She was beginning to think that coming with him was a mistake. She wasn't meant to be with humans, right? Hadn't that been what her time with Ash's father had taught her? Humans were evil, weren't they?

They all hurt Pokémon, didn't they?

...But looking into Ash's deep brown eyes, the Houndour wasn't sure if she could believe that. There was such acceptance in there of whatever she would do. If she chose to run off, she knew he wouldn't blame her. If she chose to go back into her Pokéball and never come out, he wouldn't stop her. He was leaving the decisions up to her. He wasn't pushing her like his father.

She shifted her gaze slightly to take in the female trainer. Her eyes spoke of fear and worry, but also of concern. Concern not only for Ash, but also for all Pokémon...For Flamekist, a Pokémon the trainer had every right to hate.

The other trainer's jaw was no longer hanging down, and he seemed to be waiting...Waiting for Flamekist to respond, as they all were. He was a little harder to read, but the canine thought she could sense a sort of trust in him for whatever it was his friends decided to do. If they were willing to trust her, he would, too.

Flamekist took in a deep breath, her body rigid. Her emotions were battling within her...She hoped she wouldn't regret what she was going to do.

"Hound," she said softly, inclining her head in a 'yes.'

A small smile came on Misty's face, and the girl slowly bent down. Her hand tentatively reached out and gently moved from the back of the Houndour's head, down her neck, over the bone protrusions on her back, and at last off her tail. Flamekist relaxed. She'd never been petted like this before. It felt better than she had expected. A little more confidently, Misty moved her hand down the canine's neck again.

"Dour," Flamekist whispered, her normally angry-looking face now looking content as she closed her eyes.

Ash gave a laugh which relieved most of his tension. "That wasn't too bad, was it, Flamekist?"

The Houndour opened one eye, stuck out her tongue at him, then closed her eye again.

Misty and Brock both laughed at Ash, who sweat-dropped.

Ash looked at the Houndour for a moment, his nervousness returning. His knees became a little shaky, and he felt a bead of sweat on his forehead. "Can I pet you, Flamekist?"

The Fire- and Dark-Type opened her eyes and gave him a long stare. Finally, she spoke, **Of course you can.** Ash began hesitantly petting her, and, after a moment, Flamekist added, "Hound-houn."

* * *

**Author's Note:** "Revealing the Past" is the sequel to this story. 


End file.
